No Good
by hufflefluffernutter
Summary: A one-shot into the day that Fred and George first used the Marauder’s Map.


The common room was so quiet, I almost didn't want to leave. I listened to the fire crackle in the air, brushed the small hairs that tickled my nose out of my face.

"Potions is going well", I scribble as I finish the letter to my dad. "The teacher is a bit of a sod, but I do my work and try to keep my head down. So he doesn't bother me too much." I smile as I write it. It's not too much of a lie, I do try to keep my head down. I can't help that it's so easy to pick fun at him.

"You remember my friends Fred and George, right? They send their well wishes. They ask if you have any more knickknacks that you could send our way. Apparently their dad is really intrigued by them. Their hope is that if they show it off to their him, and are able to tell him what it is and what it's used for, he'll believe they're doing well in Muggle Studies."

I smile to myself as I finish the sentence. If only dad knew. I couldn't possibly tell him of all the havoc I've been causing.

"I love you. I'll write to you soon. -Clara"

As the quill scratches down the final line, the common room door bursts open with a thud. My eyes shoot forward and the twins are standing in the doorway with the biggest smiles I have ever seen. I look down to my dads letter and find a large black streak through the bottom half.

"You've ruined the letter to my father I'll have you know," I said sourly, having it in the air.

"WE'VE DONE IT, CLARA!" George said, seething with excitement.

Fred bounded over to me, jumping onto the couch. He lands with both feet on the cushion, perched beside me much like a cat.

"We've got the key to the castle," he grins.

"There's no such thing, Fred," I tell him with a shake of my head.

"But there is because we figured it out," George says handing me the stack of parchment that they nicked from Filch's office months ago.

It took a second for my brain to click, and when it did, I almost dropped the ruddy thing. "You figured it out?!" I said, barely containing my excitement.

This bit of paper has racked our brains for almost 6 months, driving us absolutely bonkers. When Fred and George took it, we knew it was enchanted. Just couldn't figure out how to work the bloody thing. We tried so many spells and charms, and some of them even got it to flicker about, but no such luck.

I opened it, and George tapped the fold with his wand.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he said proudly.

The parchment that used to only flash mere words came brightly to life.

Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers

are proud to present:

the Marauder's Map

"Magical Mischief?" I asked in awe.

"Open it!" Fred ushered, making himself comfortable on the couch.

I flipped it open and I could see everything. It had the plans for every floor of the whole castle. Each of the common rooms, the great hall, the astronomy tower, even secret passageways to different parts of the castle. The part that amazed me the most was that there were footprints making their way across the map. I saw a set of them slowly making their way across a corridor with the name "Argus Filch" inscribed below.

It can't be.

So I flipped the map to Gryffindor tower, and surely enough, my name was there: along with Fred and George's.

So I stood to my feet and walked across the common room. The feet with my name on the map made their way across the common room as well. I froze in place.

"The feet, they move!"

"We know," the twins said in unison wearing wild grins. L

I laughed loudly. This map was incredible. The time it must've taken to design surely deserved recommendation. This Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs must've spent months or even years sneaking around, exploring every last nook and cranny of this castle.

It's honestly one of the most impressive pieces of magic I've ever seen.

I look over at Fred and George and I can see the pure joy on their faces. They probably felt invincible at the moment. Like their lives of mischief were at their peaks, because this bloody stack of parchment was going to get them out of SO MUCH trouble.

"I'll be damned," I said folding the map up and tucking it under my arm.

"It's beautiful," sighed George. "A right piece of work," said Fred agreeably.

"How did you get it to finally work?" I asked.

The last time that the parchment even gave us a flicker of life was when we were mucking around with it in the third floor corridor one evening. Fred had all but just about given up on the thing. He threw his hands up ready to chuck it in the bin when George had reminded him that the drawer it had been in said "Confiscated and Highly Dangerous" so it had to be worth something. I had said that maybe it was a ruse. Maybe filch was using it to spy on them when they are up to no good. We had seen their names "Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs" before it faded away. That moment was when the map showed us the most it ever has. Until this moment.

"We just kept trying," Fred said shrugging his shoulders.

"We tried what you said a bunch of different ways for a couple days until we finally got it right tonight," George smiled.

"I just can't believe it," I laughed breathlessly.

"You know what this means," Fred started.

I looked to the two of them as they rose to their feet. They straightened out their robes and stuffed my quickly forgotten and ruined letter for dad deep into my bag.

"You need to test it out," I said holding the map out to George.

"No," he said. "WE are going to test it out."

He grabbed hold of my hand and drug me past the Fat Lady with Fred close behind. Fred, George, and I spent the night stealthily making our way across the castle: lurking near the secret passages, leaving mischievous surprises for others to find in the morning, and seeing if we could hide from professors making their nightly rounds.

And honestly? I've never had more fun.


End file.
